Teaching 21st Century Skills: Oxford Discover Sample Lesson Level 3 (Part 1)

Summary

In this educational video, Charles Vina introduces a lesson on the importance of plants using a sunflower named Fred as a teaching tool. The lesson aims to engage students by exploring what they already know about plants and what they wish to learn. Through interactive activities, students discover similarities and differences between plants and animals, such as both being alive, growing, and needing water, while plants make their own food and oxygen. The session emphasizes the significance of plants, like Fred, to our ecosystem.

Takeaways

• 🌱 The lesson introduces a unit from the Oxford Discover student book focusing on plants and their importance.
• 🌼 The teacher uses a sunflower named Fred to engage students and explore the topic of plants.
• 📚 The purpose of the lesson is to focus students on the subject, discover their existing knowledge, and identify what they wish to learn more about.
• 🌞 Sunflowers are highlighted for their unique ability to follow the sun, a phenomenon that will be explained further in the lesson.
• 🥜 Sunflower seeds are edible and are a part of the plant that students can consume, unlike the flower itself.
• 🐕 Fred the sunflower is personified as a pet, emphasizing the teacher's unique connection to the plant and its role in the lesson.
• 📊 A V-diagram is used as a tool to compare and contrast plants and animals, focusing on their similarities and differences.
• 🌿 Both plants and animals are alive, grow, drink water, and can 'feel', according to the students' observations.
• 🏃‍♂️ A key difference highlighted is that animals can move while plants are stationary, with the exception of vines that can grow towards light.
• 🍃 Plants are capable of producing their own food through photosynthesis, unlike animals that need to consume food.
• 🌬️ Plants produce oxygen, which is essential for life, while animals produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct of respiration.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lesson introduced by Charles Vina?

The main topic of the lesson is to discuss plants and why they are important.

What is the purpose of the lesson according to the script?

The purpose of the lesson is to get students focused on the topic, to find out what they know about plants, and to discover what they want to know so it can be explored further.

What is the name of the sunflower Charles Vina brought to the class?

The sunflower Charles Vina brought to the class is named Fred.

Why do sunflowers follow the Sun, according to the lesson?

The lesson mentions that sunflowers follow the Sun, but the exact reason why they do so is not detailed in the script.

Which part of the sunflower is edible according to the script?

The seeds of the sunflower are edible.

What is the purpose of the V diagram activity in the lesson?

The V diagram activity is used to explore the similarities and differences between plants and animals.

What are some ways plants and animals are the same according to the students in the script?

According to the students, plants and animals are both alive, they both grow, they both drink water, and they both feel.

What are some ways plants and animals are different according to the students in the script?

According to the students, plants and animals are different because animals can move while plants cannot, plants make their own food while animals need to find or consume food, and plants make oxygen while animals do not.

What is the significance of the sunflower Fred to Charles Vina, as mentioned in the script?

Fred, the sunflower, is significant to Charles Vina as he considers it his pet, which allows him to have a plant companion that he can 'walk', 'talk to', and 'read stories to'.

What is the final focus of the lesson after the discussion about plants and animals?

The final focus of the lesson is on plants, discussing their characteristics and why they are important.

Outlines

00:00

🌼 Introduction to Plants and Their Importance

Charles Vina, co-author of Oxford Discover, introduces a lesson focused on plants and their significance. He aims to engage students by exploring their pre-existing knowledge and curiosity about plants. The session begins with a discussion about a sunflower named Fred, which Vina uses to illustrate that plants are living things. Students are asked to identify the sunflower and discuss its characteristics, such as following the sun and having edible seeds. The lesson plan includes a V-diagram activity where students are tasked with comparing and contrasting plants and animals, highlighting their shared trait of being alive.

05:03

🌱 Exploring Similarities and Differences Between Plants and Animals

In this segment, students collaborate to brainstorm ways in which plants and animals are both similar and different. They identify that both grow and require water, but differ in their ability to move and produce food. Plants are noted for making their own food through photosynthesis, while animals must find or hunt for theirs. The class also touches on the idea that plants can 'feel' in the sense that they respond to their environment, such as the Venus flytrap eating insects. The teacher emphasizes the importance of these observations by writing them on the board for all to see.

10:06

🌿 Deeper Dive into the Characteristics of Plants

The focus of this part of the lesson is solely on plants. Building on the previous discussion, the teacher leads the class to recall and elaborate on the characteristics of plants. They review that plants are stationary, produce their own food, grow, create oxygen, and require water. The teacher also briefly mentions the concept of plants 'feeling,' which was introduced earlier. This section serves to reinforce the students' understanding of plant biology and their role in the ecosystem.

Keywords

💡Plants

Plants are living organisms that play a crucial role in the ecosystem. In the video, the concept of plants is introduced as a central theme, with a focus on their importance and characteristics. The script mentions sunflowers, which are a type of plant, and discusses their ability to follow the sun and produce edible seeds. Plants are highlighted as immobile life forms that grow, produce their own food through photosynthesis, and contribute to the oxygen cycle, which is essential for life on Earth.

💡Sunflowers

Sunflowers are a specific type of plant mentioned in the script, known for their large, bright yellow flowers that resemble the sun. They are used as an example to engage students and to illustrate certain plant characteristics. The video explains that sunflowers follow the sun's movement, a phenomenon known as heliotropism, and that their seeds are edible, which is a point of interest for students to understand the practical uses of plants.

💡Heliotropism

Heliotropism refers to the growth movement of a plant in response to the direction, duration, or intensity of light, particularly sunlight. The video uses sunflowers as an example to explain this concept, noting that they follow the sun's path across the sky. This is a fascinating aspect of plant behavior that captures the students' attention and helps them understand how plants interact with their environment.

💡Venn Diagram

A Venn diagram is a visual tool used to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between two or more sets of items. In the video, the concept of a Venn diagram is introduced to help students explore the similarities and differences between plants and animals. The script mentions creating a Venn diagram with two intersecting circles labeled 'plants' and 'animals' to visually represent their shared and unique characteristics.

💡Alive

The term 'alive' is used in the video to describe the state of being a living organism, which is a fundamental concept when discussing plants and animals. Both plants and animals are classified as living because they exhibit characteristics such as growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli. The script emphasizes this shared characteristic as a starting point for comparing and contrasting the two groups.

💡Growth

Growth is a key concept in biology, referring to the increase in size or development of an organism. In the video, growth is identified as a common characteristic between plants and animals. The script uses the idea of growth to demonstrate that despite their differences, both plants and animals share the ability to develop and change over time, which is a fundamental aspect of life.

💡Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll pigments. The video touches on this concept when discussing how plants make their own food. This process is essential for life on Earth as it converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, which are vital for the survival of many organisms, including humans.

💡Seeds

Seeds are the reproductive units of plants, often containing the embryo of a new plant. In the video, seeds are highlighted as a part of sunflowers that are edible and can be consumed by humans. The script uses seeds to illustrate the reproductive aspect of plants and to show students a tangible example of how plants can be both a source of food and a means of propagation.

💡Oxygen

Oxygen is a chemical element that is essential for the survival of most life forms on Earth. The video script mentions that plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis, which is a critical process for the Earth's atmosphere and the respiration of animals, including humans. The concept of oxygen production is used to highlight the importance of plants in maintaining the balance of life on our planet.

💡Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a compound consisting of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, and it is a byproduct of respiration in animals and humans. In the video, the script briefly mentions carbon dioxide in the context of the respiratory cycle, where animals release it as a waste product. This ties into the broader discussion of the interdependence between plants and animals, as plants consume carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.

💡Pet

In the video, the term 'pet' is used in a creative and humorous way to refer to the sunflower named Fred. This is an engaging storytelling technique to capture the students' interest and to personify the plant, making it more relatable. The concept of a 'pet sunflower' serves to emphasize the emotional connection people can have with plants and to highlight the individuality and importance of each living thing.

Highlights

Introduction of a lesson on plants and their importance from Oxford Discover Student Book Three.

Engaging students by discussing what they already know about plants and what they want to learn.

Using a sunflower as a prop to introduce the topic and to stimulate students' curiosity.

Students correctly identify the sunflower as a plant and discuss its characteristics.

Mention of sunflowers following the sun and a teaser for further exploration in the lesson.

Discussion on the edible part of the sunflower, specifically the seeds.

Introduction of the sunflower 'Fred' as a pet, a creative way to personify a plant.

Use of a V-diagram to compare and contrast plants and animals.

Students collaboratively brainstorming similarities and differences between plants and animals.

Identification of 'being alive' as a commonality between plants and animals.

Students' observation that plants and animals both grow and drink water.

A profound student suggestion that plants and animals can 'feel'.

Discussion on the difference in mobility between plants and animals.

Students' insight that plants make their own food through photosynthesis.

Contrasting how animals find or consume food as opposed to making it themselves.

Highlighting the role of plants in producing oxygen, a critical component for life.

Students' correct spelling of 'oxygen' and the discussion of its importance.

Reflection on the necessity of plants for humans, setting the stage for further exploration.

Transcripts

hello my name is Charles Vina and I'm

co-author of Oxford discover in today's

lesson we're going to be introducing

students to a unit from student book

three in which we discuss plants and why

they're important the purpose of today's

lesson is to get students focused on the

topic to find out what they know about

the subject and also to find out what

they want to know so we can explore it

further let's get started okay today

we're going to be talking about living

things and one living thing in

particular but I brought myself with me

a friend

and what do you think this is first of

all is it a plant or an

animal it's a plant okay great we've got

that figured out all right what kind of

plant is

it sun it's a flower it's a flower thank

you do you remember girls what kind of

flower sunflower it's a sunflower does

it look like the sun all right good do

you have sunflowers in

Mexico great did you see a sunflower

this morning coming to

school no okay but they are in Mexico

that's great sunflowers are really cool

because they follow

what follow the Sun and later as we move

into the lesson you'll find out why

sunflowers do that it's very cool can

you eat a

sunflower no thank you for telling me

okay but there is a part of the

sunflower that you can eat is it this

side no do you know what part you can

eat they gather over here and they fall

to the ground what are

those what do you call something that

you plant in the ground and some seed

seeds so you can eat

sunflower seeds good have you ever eaten

sunflower seeds yes you have okay good

great and they're very delicious and

sunflowers don't mind giving us their

seeds so it's a pretty cool thing now

this sunflower his name is Fred now I

told the first group that my sunflower

name is Fred I know it's a strange name

but Fred is my pet right so I don't have

a dog or a cat I only have a sunflower

so that way wherever I go I can walk my

sunflower in the morning and I can talk

to my sunflower and I read it stories at

night and I feed it and I put it to

sleep do you think that's great do you

think it's a good

idea you do all of you think it's a good

idea okay good so are plants the same as

animals

no okay is there anything that's the

same about a plant and an animal yeah

the the things the thing that are alike

is that they are alive are both perfect

they are both alive so look what I put

on the board here this is called a v

diagram do you see the big circles

what's this set heading say what's

this what's this both it's supposed to

say both so what we're going to do is

we're going to talk about how plants and

animals are different and how they're

the same and you've already told me one

area that they're the same they're both

alive alive good that's perfect so what

I'm gonna do is I'm gonna pass out some

paper Miguel can you come Miguel can you

help me pass out the paper one sheet for

two so there's one sheet for them one

sheet for you and just pass it around

okay okay thank you so you guys are

going to share this why because we want

to work together we want to help each

other and so we each two students get

one sheet of paper okay now what I want

you to do you guys is to think about two

ways that plants and animals are the

same and look we already have one way

finished they're both alive but can you

see can think of two ways that plants

and animals are different

or you might even think of three ways

that plants and animals are different

right okay so can you work together and

can you actually make this diagram on

that piece of paper try it okay make big

circles big circles make sure they cross

in the

middle okay can you do it together you

might have to share one

desk great

label them plants animals and both can

you do that for me all right good now I

want you to work together and I want you

to think about can you think of two ways

or three ways that plants and animals

are different can you think of one or

two and let's maybe even say three ways

that plants and animals are the same I

want you to speak with each other you

can even talk as a group three or four

of you English only all right see what

you can do in the next couple minutes

okay please begin I'm going to walk

around and listen so work together talk

to each other all right how are plants

and animals

different oh you have a pencil okay

don't worry about it animals can very

good you can write that down move and

what would this be can they move don't

move

you can just write one word or two words

you don't have to write a full

sentence just think of ideas okay okay

who would like to tell me let's start in

the middle what are some ways of plants

and animals are the same okay I heard

some great ideas from you before yes the

plants and the Animals grow plants and

animals both grow wonderful do you agree

is that true plants and animals both

grow so we can put it up here all right

they both grow that's wonderful yes the

plants and the Animals drink water plant

and animals drink water oh drink water I

love

it plants and animals drink water do

they drink water the same

way no they drink it differently but

they both need water that's a wonderful

observation can you add one more I

didn't think we'd have one more yeah

they feel they feel wow that's a very

powerful thing to say so are you saying

that when I touch a plant they feel it

right I think you're right do you know

there's a certain plant that eats flies

do you know that

one we have it in my place in Minnesota

and when the fly comes in a certain area

the plant closes and it eats the

fly can you imagine anyways they're both

alive they both grow they both drink

water and plants and animals both feel

that's wonderful can you give me an

example of how they are different yes

Dad animals can move animals can

move they can move from one place to

another can plants move no never ever

huh Vines can grow right they can kind

of move but the plant itself has to stay

in one place right did you have another

your hand was up do you have another

idea oops I'm

sorry plance what should I say don't

move okay thank you all right wonderful

another

idea

yes plants make their own food brilliant

class you guys are amazing plants

make their own

food wow you mean like hamburgers and

pizza no wouldn't that be cool if we

could grow plants that would make pizza

and then they would eat a pizza and the

extra Pizza they would give to us that's

something you can work on plants make

their own food how about animals what

would we say then about

animals they don't make food they have

to but how about food what do they have

to do H it and another animal okay yeah

exactly I'm wondering if we could just

say they have to find

food look for food anyways they can't

they can't just sit around they have to

find their food right how about us do we

make our own food or do we find

food that's an interesting question

right I guess we cook our own food but

we really don't make our own food right

so we have to go to the supermarket and

find food too right are we plants or

animals

I guess we're part of this Kingdom right

okay anything else do you know a

difference between a plant and an

animal

okay make oygen oh my gosh you guys are

great plants make oxygen now oxygen is a

very big word oh wait a minute can you

spell it for me o o a x y d e n oygen

amazing that is excellent thank you so

plants make oxygen what do animals

make well actually when we think about

animals when we breathe when they

breathe out there's we don't have oxygen

but we have something called CO2 right

carbon dioxide we can talk about that

later but anyways that's very true or we

can say animals don't make oxygen okay

don't make it okay

great you guys that was amazing thank

you so much I'm gonna talk about why we

need plants why we need Fred not Fred is

more than just a pet he's very important

so we can talk about that let's erase

frad let's erase me and let's erase

animals for now okay so we're going to

focus on Plants now you've already told

me a lot about plants we know that

plants don't move but they're alive they

make their own food they grow they make

oxygen they drink water and they feel

you know a lot about plants already

that's wonderful